Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 60 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
As for what I had promised you in my earlier letter, that a work would result from this excursion, I now make no great affirmation of it; for I have so embraced my leisure that I cannot be torn away from it. And so I either delight myself with books, of which I have a delightful supply at Antium, or I count the waves (for the weather is not suitable for catching lizard-fish); but from writing my mind shrinks utterly. Indeed the geography [a treatise on geography] which I had set about is a great task. So very much is Eratosthenes, whom I had set before myself as my model, criticized by Serapio and by Hipparchus. What do you suppose, if Tyrannio is added in? And by Hercules these are matters difficult to expound and monotonous, nor can they be embellished in description so much as they seemed they might be; and, what is the chief point, any reason whatever is sufficiently just for me to dally, since I even doubt whether I should settle here at Antium and consume this whole season here, where indeed I should have preferred to have been a member of the board of two magistrates than to have been at Rome. [2] You, however, more wisely, have prepared a home for yourself at Buthrotum. But, believe me, this community of the people of Antium comes nearest to that municipality of yours. To think that there is a place so near Rome where there are many who have never seen Vatinius, where there is no one besides me who wishes any one of the board of twenty men [the agrarian commissioners] to be alive and well, where no one interrupts me, and all hold me dear! Here, here surely one must conduct one's public life; for there [at Rome] it is not only not permitted but is even wearisome. And so the unpublished pieces [literally, things-not-given-out], which we shall read to you alone, shall be composed in the manner of Theopompus, or even in a much harsher style. Nor do I now engage in any other public activity except to hate the wicked, and that very thing with no bile, but rather with a certain pleasure in the writing. But to come to business: I have written to the city quaestors about my brother Quintus's affair. See what they say, and whether there is any hope that we shall be paid in denarii, or whether we are to be left lying on the Pompeian cistophorus [Asiatic coinage of uncertain value]. Besides, decide about the wall what is to be done. Anything else? Yes, this too. When you think you will be setting out from there, see that I know.
I am not so certain now about fulfilling the promises I made in former letters to produce some work in this tour: for I have fallen so in love with idleness, that I can’t tear myself from it. So I either enjoy myself with my books, of which I have a jolly good lot at Antium, or else count the waves: the rough weather won’t allow me to catch shads. At writing my soul rebels utterly. The geographical work I had planned is a big undertaking. Eratosthenes, whom I had taken as my authority, is severely criticized by Serapion and Hipparchus; and, if I take Tyrannio’s views too, there is no telling what the result would be. Besides the subject is confoundedly hard to explain and monotonous, nor does it give one as many opportunities for flowers of fancy as I imagined: besides—and this is the chief point—I find any excuse for idleness good enough. I am even debating settling down at Antium, and spending the rest of my life here: and I really wish I had been a magistrate here
rather than in Rome. You have been wiser in your generation and made a home for yourself at Buthrotum: but you may take my word for it that this township of Antium runs your borough very close. To think of there being a place so near Rome, where there are lots of people who have never seen Vatinius, where there is not a single soul save myself who cares whether any of our new commissioners are alive or dead, where no one intrudes upon me, though every one is fond of me. This, this is the very place for me to play the politician: for there in Rome, besides being shut out of politics, I am sick of them. So I will compose a private memoir, which I will read only to you, in the style of Theopompus, or even a still bitterer vein. My only policy now is hatred of the radicals: and that without rancour, indeed with some pleasure in expressing it.
But to return to business, I have written to the city quaestors about my brother Quintus’ affairs. See what they have to say, and whether there is any hope of our getting current coin, or whether we must put up with Pompey’s pice. Also decide what is to be done with the wall. Is there anything else I meant to say? Yes. Let me know when you think of going away.
quod tibi superioribus litteris promiseram, fore ut opus exstaret huius peregrinationis, nihil iam magno opere confirmo; sic enim sum complexus otium ut ab eo divelli non queam. itaque aut libris me delecto, quorum habeo Anti festivam copiam, aut fluctus numero (nam ad lacertas captandas tempestates non sunt idoneae); a scribendo prorsus abhorret animus. etenim geographika quae constitueram magnum opus est. ita valde Eratosthenes, quem mihi proposueram, a Serapione et ab Hipparcho reprehenditur. quid censes si Tyrannio accesserit? et hercule sunt res difficiles ad explicandum et homoeideis nec tam possunt antherographeisthai quam videbantur et, quod caput est, mihi quaevis satis iusta causa cessandi est qui etiam dubitem an hic Anti considam et hoc tempus omne consumam, ubi quidem ego mallem duumvirum quam Romae fuisse. [2] tu vero sapientior Buthroti domum parasti. sed, mihi crede, proxima est illi municipio haec Antiatium civitas. esse locum tam prope Romam ubi multi sint qui Vatinium numquam viderint, ubi nemo sit praeter me qui quemquam ex viginti viris vivum et salvum velit, ubi me interpellet nemo, diligant omnes! hic, hic nimirum politeuteon; nam istic non solum non licet sed etiam taedet. itaque anekdota quae tibi uni legamus Theopompio genere aut etiam asperiore multo pangentur. neque aliud iam quicquam politeuomai nisi odisse improbos et id ipsum nullo cum stomacho sed potius cum aliqua scribendi voluptate. sed ut ad rem, scripsi ad quaestores urbanos de Quinti fratris negotio. vide quid narrent, ecquae spes sit denari an cistophoro Pompeiano iaceamus. praeterea de muro statue quid faciendum sit. aliud quid? etiam. quando te proficisci istinc putes fac ut sciam.
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As for what I had promised you in my earlier letter, that a work would result from this excursion, I now make no great affirmation of it; for I have so embraced my leisure that I cannot be torn away from it. And so I either delight myself with books, of which I have a delightful supply at Antium, or I count the waves (for the weather is not suitable for catching lizard-fish); but from writing my mind shrinks utterly. Indeed the geography [a treatise on geography] which I had set about is a great task. So very much is Eratosthenes, whom I had set before myself as my model, criticized by Serapio and by Hipparchus. What do you suppose, if Tyrannio is added in? And by Hercules these are matters difficult to expound and monotonous, nor can they be embellished in description so much as they seemed they might be; and, what is the chief point, any reason whatever is sufficiently just for me to dally, since I even doubt whether I should settle here at Antium and consume this whole season here, where indeed I should have preferred to have been a member of the board of two magistrates than to have been at Rome. [2] You, however, more wisely, have prepared a home for yourself at Buthrotum. But, believe me, this community of the people of Antium comes nearest to that municipality of yours. To think that there is a place so near Rome where there are many who have never seen Vatinius, where there is no one besides me who wishes any one of the board of twenty men [the agrarian commissioners] to be alive and well, where no one interrupts me, and all hold me dear! Here, here surely one must conduct one's public life; for there [at Rome] it is not only not permitted but is even wearisome. And so the unpublished pieces [literally, things-not-given-out], which we shall read to you alone, shall be composed in the manner of Theopompus, or even in a much harsher style. Nor do I now engage in any other public activity except to hate the wicked, and that very thing with no bile, but rather with a certain pleasure in the writing. But to come to business: I have written to the city quaestors about my brother Quintus's affair. See what they say, and whether there is any hope that we shall be paid in denarii, or whether we are to be left lying on the Pompeian cistophorus [Asiatic coinage of uncertain value]. Besides, decide about the wall what is to be done. Anything else? Yes, this too. When you think you will be setting out from there, see that I know.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
quod tibi superioribus litteris promiseram, fore ut opus exstaret huius peregrinationis, nihil iam magno opere confirmo; sic enim sum complexus otium ut ab eo divelli non queam. itaque aut libris me delecto, quorum habeo Anti festivam copiam, aut fluctus numero (nam ad lacertas captandas tempestates non sunt idoneae); a scribendo prorsus abhorret animus. etenim geographika quae constitueram magnum opus est. ita valde Eratosthenes, quem mihi proposueram, a Serapione et ab Hipparcho reprehenditur. quid censes si Tyrannio accesserit? et hercule sunt res difficiles ad explicandum et homoeideis nec tam possunt antherographeisthai quam videbantur et, quod caput est, mihi quaevis satis iusta causa cessandi est qui etiam dubitem an hic Anti considam et hoc tempus omne consumam, ubi quidem ego mallem duumvirum quam Romae fuisse. [2] tu vero sapientior Buthroti domum parasti. sed, mihi crede, proxima est illi municipio haec Antiatium civitas. esse locum tam prope Romam ubi multi sint qui Vatinium numquam viderint, ubi nemo sit praeter me qui quemquam ex viginti viris vivum et salvum velit, ubi me interpellet nemo, diligant omnes! hic, hic nimirum politeuteon; nam istic non solum non licet sed etiam taedet. itaque anekdota quae tibi uni legamus Theopompio genere aut etiam asperiore multo pangentur. neque aliud iam quicquam politeuomai nisi odisse improbos et id ipsum nullo cum stomacho sed potius cum aliqua scribendi voluptate. sed ut ad rem, scripsi ad quaestores urbanos de Quinti fratris negotio. vide quid narrent, ecquae spes sit denari an cistophoro Pompeiano iaceamus. praeterea de muro statue quid faciendum sit. aliud quid? etiam. quando te proficisci istinc putes fac ut sciam.